I'm Still With Team Shaq, But Not His Rap

Earlier today, E.J. composed a well-crafted piece on why he has shifted from Team Shaq to Team Kobe. You can read his articulate verbiage here.

Lots of fuss (far too much) has been made over Shaq's freestyling escapades in a New York night club. Personally, I thought his rapping was awful, as usual, and I didn't take him seriously. I understand why E.J. and many others found it childish and idiotic, but I couldn't help cracking up.

And if we're really going back to the Shaq vs. Kobe debate, I think it's time to put Kobe in his place again. He deserves a lot of credit for playing through a pinky injury, leading the Lakers through the West, and restoring his image. That being said, he CHOKED in the Finals. He played like garbage, when even a decent performance by his standards could have tipped the scales.

What irks me is how Kobe and LeBron are referred to as "the best players in the game" when they've each crashed in the Finals of late. This, while Dwyane Wade put forth the finest performance in NBA Finals history. Wade didn't have the luxury of a good Shaq in the Heat's Finals run...in fact, Shaq stunk in that series.

For an enlightening take on the current status of Kobe, by the way, I strongly encourage you to read this wonderful piece from Phil Wallace of SoCal Sports Observed. If you haven't heard of Phil Wallace yet, you surely will. He's a rising star in the L.A. sports scene.

I'm On Team Kobe Now

It's amazing the effect that time, experience, and perhaps a little sour grapes can have on one's opinions. This time last year, I was a huge Shaquille O'Neal fan. Despite being bludgeoned by the Chicago Bulls in Rd. 1 of the 2007 NBA Playoffs, memories of the glorious 2006 championship run still filled my heart with contentment. Although Dwyane Wade was the undisputed king of that run (according to ESPN, the best Finals performance ever), Shaq was an important piece of the championship puzzle. He was big, brash, and a delight to watch in post-game press conferences, the "big Aristotle".

I'd always taken Shaq's side in the feud he had with Kobe, even before Shaq donned a Heat uniform. Kobe is, after all, a narcissist malcontent. No longer. I'm on Team Kobe now. For those that haven't heard, Shaq (not Kobe) decided to rip open old wounds at a New York nightclub on Sunday night while performing a freestyle rap. Here are some of the lowlights:

* "You know how I be...Last week, Kobe couldn't do without me."

* "Kobe...tell me how my a$@ tastes." (this one he got the mesmerized crowd to chant repeatedly)

* He took another, more subtle swipe at the Heat, saying that he was "the difference between first and last place." (someone should remind him that the Heat was in last place on the day he left for Phoenix)

Shaq is an immature dolt. He is trying to play it off as a frivolous thing that rappers do all of the time. But don't believe it. Ever since he left the Heat, he's made public infantile tomfoolery a personal mission. Remember his uncalled-for shots at Ron Culp, Ricky Davis, and Chris Quinn of all people? Besides, while it is true that rappers blast others in freestyle rap, they do it to people they have genuine beefs with.

I think this latest episode illustrates at least two things: (1) That boyish quality that we loved about him while he was down here is the same thing that he uses to stab us in the back when he is out of here; and (2) Pat Riley was an enormously positive influence on him while he was down here - without Riley's sage words and discipline, Shaq is reverting to the lost child he was before he arrived in Miami. Pitiful.

Magic Win Nail Biter; Up 2-0

The Orlando Magic should be heading to Toronto with a swagger after a 104-103 nailbiter at Amway Arena last night. The question was whether Orlando could legitimately win if their three pointers were not falling and win the Magic did.

If you would have told me that Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis would combine for an 0-13 behind the arc night, I would have called you crazy. These two have shot the 3 ball well all season and last night was completely the opposite. The Magic persevered however dominating the paint in the first quarter, racing to a 20 point lead in the meantime.

Dwight Howard once again showed his power and went for 29 points and 20 rebounds, his second 20-20 night in two games. Four men can claim to the same feat in the past 30 years and what company they are. Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Garnett, and Charles Barkley. Dwight is already a superstar in my book but he is just showing the nation that he truly is. Imagine this guy with a jump shot...Who could stop him? Well I guess that's just something he'll have to learn to play without considering his age. Oh wait, the kid is 22 years old! Had he played college ball, this would be his senior season and I think a lot of Dwight's critics forget this fact. This KID is going to be phenomenal and the critics just need to accept that. Move over Toronto, the Magic are coming to Canada and I predict a sweep.

Notable Performances:
Dwight Howard - 29 Points; 20 Rebounds; 3 Blocks;
Jameer Nelson - 18 Points; 66% Shooting Beyond the Arc;

Defending the Shaq

Shaq has come under a blitz of fire lately for throwing the Heat under a bus. This is nothing unusual for him, as he's just as well known for his destructive exists as his mammoth entrances.

I'm not going to defend Shaq's actual comments. You can read about them here. DSponge, a respected member of our staff, had his own share of criticism for Shaq, and I vowed to launch a retort.

Does Shaq have emotional problems? Absolutely, and they're not the kind Dr. Phil can solve in Scary Movie 4. Has he burned bridges with his former teams? Yes. Did he do the same with the Heat? Yes.

But slamming Shaq for sharing a few plain words about the state of the Heat is a poor use of verbiage. Everything he said about Chris Quinn, Pat Riley, and the Heat this year just happens to be the truth. Pat Riley is equally no stranger to throwing his former teams under the bus (see Lakers, Knicks, Heat prior-to-Stan Van Gundy), and what he did to Stan Van Gundy is worse than anything Shaq ever said.

Let's also not forget how Shaq was berated this year. The guy is old! What more motivation would you expect from the large, detiorarating cyclops of charisma on a last place team? Between his wife cheating on him, the blame directed his way, and now the love he's receiving in Phoenix, I think we can understand why he'd make some of those comments.

Is he to be admired for them? No. Should he be forgiven? I say yes. Go Suns!

Shaq, It's Time to Move On

Yesterday, Shaquille O'Neal was interviewed by the Boston Globe before his game with the Celtics. He had this to say about his time with the Suns and his former team, the Miami Heat: “We have professionals who know what to do. No one is asking me to play with Chris Quinn or Ricky Davis. I’m actually on a team again.”

Give me a break! I understand that he felt he wasn't given enough playing time recently under Pat Riley and they obviously had a disastrous falling out. But 5 weeks after the trade, a trade that sends him to a championship contending team, Shaq has to call out Chris Quinn! Of all people! Quinn does not look athletic and certainly is not a star, but he has done everything in his power to make himself a better player. The Notre Dame guard is succeeding in the NBA and I guarantee you that he and Ricky Davis have handled themselves more "professionally" than Shaq is by making these absolutely unnecessary comments.

Shaq also called out the Miami Heat medical staff and other various team officials. I truly believe this is an example of pure arrogance and egotism. Why complain now? The Suns are a great team and Shaq should be savoring this opportunity to play with them.

And getting back to that press conference after the trade, nothing was said of Dwyane Wade or the 4th Championship that Riley won with him. Apparently Shaq and Wade don't have that buddy-buddy, jedi-apprentice, relationship that they used to.

Please. Have some respect. Can Shaq just recognize all of this at some point? Can he leave a team without being bitter. So far he's 0 for 3. The Magic, Lakers, and now the Heat, are non-existent in his memory.

Look, I do appreciate what he has done, after all, you have to say he fulfilled his promise to bring Miami its first ever NBA Championship. But I respectfully disagree with ASponge. While I will not root against Phoenix, I will definitely not go out of my way to root for them. No sir, not after the way Shaquille O'Neal has dissed the Heat officials, players, and most of all, fans.

Why I'm Rooting for the Suns...and Tigers

Whether fans of a player's former team should root for his current team has been a question as divisive as the Clinton-Obama race.

Normally I take a stance of ambivalence, wishing well for my former favorite while shifting my attention to my team's current players. That general principle goes out the window, however, in the case of superlative performers (or more specifically, when they brought your team a championship).

The Heat would not have won a title without Shaq. Wade may have become the star, but he wouldn't have had the supporting cast, nor the open lanes. Shaq's name alone brings in veteran discounts like Alonzo Mourning and Gary Payton, and it makes the team more attractive for role players as well.

Shaq has taken his lumps lately. The vast majority of media has called him finished, Pat Riley has taken a few shots, and his wife cheated on him. The Big Aristotle may be tough, but he also has some thin skin. He deserves better.

I want the Suns to win a championship for Shaq, for his legacy and because he's one of the most entertaining athletes we've ever had. Let's always be appreciative of what he did for Miami and root for him until he retires.

Following this logic, I've also adopted the Detroit Tigers as my second MLB team. Miguel Cabrera, Dontrelle Willis, Gary Sheffield, Edgar Renteria, Todd Jones, Jim Leyland, Dave Dumbrowski...all former Marlins. Sometimes, you have the luxury of all your former favorites ending up on the same team. Hence, Go Suns, and Go Tigers!